We got home a little after eight.

My son was sleeping soundly in my arms, tears still clinging to his eyelashes. I gently wiped them away and laid him down in his little bed.

I sat beside him, my eyes tracing the lines of his chubby face, but my heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles.

His words echoed in my mind. Auntie Elena. Little sister Stella. Who were they?

A cold certainty washed over me. My husband was cheating.

And he had dragged my son into his affair, teaching him to love another woman.

Leo was always a restless sleeper. Before I could even leave the room, he had kicked off his blankets. As I went to cover him back up, I saw the white corner of something peeking out from under his pillow.

Thinking it was a picture book, I pulled it out. It was a photograph. I turned it over. In the picture were two adults and two children.

The woman in the photo was beaming, a child on each side planting a kiss on her cheek. The boy on the left was my son, Leo. The little girl on the right had to be the "little sister Stella" he had mentioned.

And my husband, Alex Moretti, was sitting where we had been at the restaurant tonight, a cake in front of him, a knife in his hand.

For a moment, I felt frozen, the photo trembling in my hand.

I forced myself to look at my reflection in the bulletproof window. My face was ashen, as if I'd been struck by lightning.

I'd met the woman in the picture a few times. Her name was Elena Garcia, Alex's assistant for his legitimate businesses.

She was one of the students from a disadvantaged background that the Moretti family had sponsored through college. I knew several of them had been hired by the family enterprise, and Elena was one of them.

She wasn't beautiful. When I'd first seen her at Alex's office, she wore no makeup, her body was thin and shapeless in her professional suit, and she spoke with a timid, trembling voice. She was like a lost little rabbit.

In the photo, she had lost that timidness and learned to dress up, but her eyes still had that same look—a harmless little rabbit.

And this little rabbit had stolen my family.

I could barely breathe. My brain refused to function. I stared at the photo, at my son's happy, smiling face, at my husband so intently focused on cutting a cake, and tears streamed down my face.

The sound of footsteps outside the door snapped me back to reality. I crumpled the photo into a tight ball in my fist.

"My love, what are you still doing in Leo's room?"

Alex had come looking for me. I tilted my head up to look at him, the old warmth and affection in my eyes completely gone.

He didn't notice. He came closer, wrapping me in a gentle embrace. "Are you still angry with him? When he wakes up tomorrow, I'll give him a good talking-to."

I remained silent. A flicker of panic crossed Alex's eyes, but he quickly composed himself.

His gaze was so intense, it felt like he could devour me. "Casey, are you going to punish me for his mistake, too? That's not fair."

He was trying to be playful, but his touch felt repulsive. I shifted away, and he, sensing my intent, tightened his grip.

I frowned, trying to push him away, my voice choked with emotion. "Your cologne is sickening. Stay away from me."

Alex froze, his eyes darting around nervously.

I forced a smile, suppressing the numb pain in my heart. "Why that expression? Anyone would think you've done something to wrong me."

His tension was palpable. He clutched my hand, refusing to let go. "How could I ever do anything to wrong you?"

He sniffed his suit. "I've been in a lot of meetings lately. The other family heads, with their cigars and whiskey... I was afraid of bringing the smell home to you and Leo, so I just took a quick shower at one of the safe houses."

He pulled me into another hug, holding on tight. My body went rigid, as stiff as a board.

I closed my eyes. "Fine. I believe you."

Alex fell silent. He seemed stunned that I would accept his explanation so easily.

He stared at me, his expression a mixture of hurt and fear. His voice rose slightly. "My love, I will always love you, and I would never betray you. You have to believe me. Please?"

I looked at him and managed to force out the words, "Okay. I believe you."

Just then, his private phone rang.

I broke the silence. "You should probably get that before it wakes Leo."

Alex looked at me, his eyes trembling, and was about to silence the call. I stopped his hand. "Go take it outside."

He finally relented and stepped out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar.

I could hear his voice clearly. I knew what would happen next.

A single tear rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away just before he hung up and came back in.

I spoke before he could. "Was that family business?"

Alex nodded, reaching out to stroke my hair. "Yes. Something urgent came up. I have to go handle it. I'll be back late, so don't wait up for me."

He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head. "Don't keep them waiting. You should go."

Alex left. By midnight, there was still no sign of him.

Then, a text came through. He said the situation was complicated, and he wouldn't be coming home tonight. He told me to get some rest.

I stared at the message and let out a bitter laugh. We'd been together for ten years, married for seven.

I used to think our love would last a lifetime. But reality had just slapped me across the face. The seven-year itch was real.

Ten years. It was time for me to wake up.

I didn't sleep a wink. The next day was Saturday. Leo didn't have class until his riding lesson in the afternoon—the one he used to hate.

When I went downstairs, our housekeeper, Maria, looked startled. "Ma'am, did you not sleep well last night?"

I ignored her question. "Where's Leo?"

It was almost eleven. Maria answered quickly. "The young master is in the living room, making a craft project for a classmate."

I went into the living room and saw my son sitting on the carpet, paintbrush in hand, watching a video and painting something with intense concentration. He was so focused, he didn't even notice me approach.

I saw the tools for making press-on nails next to him. "Where did you get all this?"

Leo looked up. "Mommy!"

His big eyes stared at me. "I found them in the little box under your vanity!"

I had bought those supplies a while ago. Seeing how absorbed he was, I didn't want to spoil his fun. "That little flower would look better with some glitter to make it sparkle."

Leo's eyes filled with admiration, and he did exactly as I said. "Are you making these for a friend, Leo?"

"Mhm!" he said, still painting. "It's Stella's birthday tomorrow. This is her special present. Isn't it pretty?"

My heart seized, a thousand tiny needles pricking at my chest. The Stella from last night.

I fought back the wave of pain and bitterness. "But there's no one named Stella in your class. Which Stella is it?"